My Heart Goes Out to Amos Yee, My Friend

I saw Amos walked away into remand again, without being able to properly say goodbye to him, and to ask him to take care.

This was the second time I am seeing him go into remand. The first time I saw them take him away, he was in handcuffs. I didn’t even get to talk to him because when I got to court, he was already inside the chambers. We spent the next few hours trying to get him out but we couldn’t.

Yesterday, I got to court just after he arrived.

I asked him how he was and he told me that he just got beaten outside of court. His left eye was red. And it got redder later. I asked him if it hurt. He said it was stinging but it would go away.

I gave him a squeeze on his arm, to assure him.

While waiting in court, his lawyers came in and out of the chambers several times. They also got out to speak to Amos and his parents.

Each time Amos came back, I would ask him how he is, whether his eye was better. Each time, he would say he was fine. At times, we would banter and laugh a bit.

Over the last few days, I have gotten to know Amos better.

I got to know a friend.

Amos would tell me, you have to be honest with yourself. Indeed, once after I caught a show with him and his parents and I asked him how he thought of the show. He just said, “It was awful.”

I stared at him and laughingly gave him a pat on his hand. But he looked back matter-of-factly and said, “It was awful.”

But this is Amos. I barely know him for just a few days but it is this honestly that has endeared himself to me. No pretense. No lies. He was who he was, and he did not want to hide who he was.

At times, I look at him and I admire him. Was I at my age be like him?

But I know the answer. I was never like Amos. Maybe some parts of me was. I was top in class in Geography (or was it in Literature, I forgot!) in Secondary 4 for my preliminary examinations. I was also one of the few students in my class to score an A in English for ‘O’ Levels.

Amos got As in E maths, A maths, Chemistry and English. He was also top in his class in secondary 3 and 4. He studied at Zhonghua Secondary School. So maybe he is smarter than I was, much smarter in fact.

Meanwhile, I was having crushes in school, doing what every teenager was doing. But I wasn’t popular. People knew me. I was a student councillor and was called names. Eventually, my schoolmates got to know who I really was and they became more friendly, but then we were already going to graduate.

But then, I was just like any other teenager, I was just getting on with my life. Like any other teenager, I was looking for love. Then again, so was Amos. He did make his video, My Lost Love.

But then, Amos was more.

He once wrote in his blog, “I’m not gay, I am perfectly straight.

“Regardless though, the injustice that is faced by this group of people, even though they’re part of a minority, is very evident to me.”

This is the kind of maturity Amos has beyond his age.

Yet, he was also called names, like I was. People used to call me “Ah Qua”.

But there were people who mocked his name. One called him, “Anus Yee”. But Amos had this to say to him: “I wish you all the best of luck and prosperity, with your future endeavors, as the passionate, motivated hater.”

But yes, Amos is forgiving. He spoke about the “Grassroots leader who wanted to chop off my dick and put it my mouth” on his Facebook two nights ago.

But he said: “But you see if it were me, I wouldn’t want him to be punished because of his words. Not only do I want to be acquitted from those charges against me, I want those laws to be completely abolished because quite evidently, they are absolutely horrible.”

“So it would be pretty hypocritical if I use laws that I hate, to try to pick on him, and neither me nor any of my fans should do that..

“So fellow Grassroots leader, although you have this uncanny desire to cut off my wee-wee. I don’t think you should be fined, nor would I ever want you to go to jail because of it. Nobody should ever be charged or go to jail because of the words he says, no matter how fucking stupid they are,” Amos said.

This is the kind of self-depreciating humour that Amos has, and the kind of satire that sadly, not many understand.

In fact, before Amos left, he told me, “Well that’s the point Roy, I feel that if you can find humor in the absolutely horrible things that government is doing, then you have true insight and knowledge in talking about it.”

I am sure many of you will agree with him, at least about what he said about me. 🙂

In fact, now that I am thinking about it, when he got hit in his eye yesterday, he did not curse and swear at the guy who beat him, like many of us would have. Instead, he did not want me to worry about his eye. He did not speak about the man. He also did not question why the people who were taking photos and videos of him did not run to stop the assailer.

He also did not want his mother to worry.

At times, his mother would look at him lovingly in court. One time, Amos put his arm around his mom and gave her a pat on the back.

They would sit and speak softly to one another, mother and child confiding in one another. This was another sight that many could not see – the love between the mother and son.

The few times I have met them, mom would always smile humbly at us and at Amos. She would seek advice on what to do but like any other loving mother, she would sometimes give him a chiding look, while you see the softness and gentleness in her eyes.

It is perhaps mom that Amos also got his humour from. She always seemed lighthearted, when by herself.

But I digress.

His bail conditions were supposed to be reviewed yesterday. I asked him if they would be made lighter. I tried to give him hope that it would.

But when Amos came back later, he said that the bail conditions would still be stuck. They still wanted to stop him from talking.

I told him I was sorry. After all the hoo-ha about wanting to bail him, I realised that I could not. I am still facing two criminal charges in relation to a protest I took part in, which would bar me from being able to bail him. He looked at me, disappointed.

I would also be barred from visiting Amos in prison.

The bail conditions were onerous. Amos would not be able to speak at all. He no doubt would still break them. Anyone would.

He had said on his Facebook, “It would make sense if I am found guilty, then I privatize the content, but we’re not even completely sure if I’ll be sentenced, so why the fuck do the posts and videos have to be privatized? Especially since the posts that have been privatized would have been re-posted by a 3rd party anyways.

“The only reason that I can think of on why the prosecutor is doing this, is because the sign that I removed attribution of the videos to my account, makes it seem like I’m guilty for my actions, and submitting to the law, like ‘haha the person who has been so rebellious is now in our mercy’.”

Amos was later led away.

There was nothing much we could do, some of us friends who were there to make sure he was well. We had made peace with what was was going to happen. We did ask how things were like when he was in remand the first time.

I can only pray that they will treat him well. And let him have the books he wanted.

He told Shelley to bring him his favourite classics. They then started talking about their favourite classics. I sat quietly. Not quite a fan of classics, I was!

Perhaps it was fate that brought us together, or perhaps it was because I felt for him.

Here was a 16-year-old boy who was feeling the full force of the government come down on him. Here was a boy who spoke up for what he believed in and was hunted down for it.

In many ways, I understood him. And I wanted to be there for him.

Not as an activist, not as a campaigner. But just as a friend.

I would understand. I used to have two best friends whom I have not contacted (much) since I got sued by the prime minister.

But I found a friend in Amos.

When I first campaigned for him, he was in remand. At that time, I felt that we could not let a person whom spoke up to be bullied, and especially not a child.

But when he came out and when I got in touch with him again, it was no longer that.

I just wanted my friend to be safe.

Some have said he seeks attention. Some said he deserves what he did.

I think he deserves to be who he wants to be, just like any of us. I think he deserves to be himself.

Some say, he should be jailed because he scolded Lee Kuan Yew. But who among of us have not used even worst words against others. Remember those who called Dr Chee Soon Juan names and those who dragged his name through the mud? They are from the same camp who now malign Amos. It is the pot calling kettle black but I am not going to make this (too) political. It is a personal post I am writing for Amos.

Some say he should face persecution but Amos himself said, “it would be pretty hypocritical if I use laws that I hate, to try to pick on him, and neither me nor any of my fans should do that..

“Nobody should ever be charged or go to jail because of the words he says, no matter how fucking stupid they are,”he said.

Amos is a boy but he is also a dignified one.

He said he was abused at home, but you have to admire how he continued to want to stay true to himself.

Amos might use vulgarities but he knew where to draw the line. He wouldn’t have hit someone. To this, Amos has integrity. But how many of us would have the same?

Some chide Amos for mocking Lee Kuan Yew but they also choose to ignore what he had to say.

He had said, “Most people in Singapore are struggling to make ends meet. And it is reported that Singaporeans work the longest hours in the world. We are one of the richest countries in the world, but we have one of the highest income inequalities, highest poverty rates, and our government spends one of the lowest on healthcare and social security.

“The money spent on the public is so low, it’s more representative of a third world country. And yet the amount of taxes is one of the highest in first world countries. And political leaders in Singapore earn more than quadruple the amount earned by political leaders in the United States. They are acquiring so much money — why aren’t they spending it on the people? What are they actually spending it on?

“And whenever somebody wonders online if the government is pocketing the money for themselves, they get sued. Quite suspicious, isn’t it?” he had said.

Amos also said, “I think the biggest flaw of LKY as a leader to our nation, is that he honestly thought that money and status equated to happiness. And his failure to understand how false that was really showed, leading us to be one of the richest countries in the world, and one of the most depressed.

“It is by how he creates a place where people are able to live happily and prosper, based on their own unique attributes. And he hasn’t. So no matter how rich the country he made is, it doesn’t mean a thing.”

He is a 16-year-old child but he is also wise beyond his years.

In the end, he might not have used the best of words, he might not have done the best of comparisons. But he meant well. And he has integrity.

I want the best for Amos, not just because he is a friend. But because if Amos was in any other truly developed First World country, our first instinct would not be to arrest him, charge him and throw him into jail. We would not have mocked him, let ourselves at him or even attack him.

In a truly developed First World country, we would have reached out to Amos, work with him and mould him to become someone who could have done so much more greater things for our country. But amidst the insecurities of some in our country, we want to get him down instead.

It is perhaps a sad reflection of the state of our country than of Amos himself.

It is thus sad that Amos’s failing today is not because he has failed but because our society has failed to grow. And in spite of saying that we should show love and compassion to one another, and in spite of saying that we should help to develop the skills and talents of each and every of our individuals, our actions against Amos only show how myopic, insecure and small we are.

It is true that a person like Amos does not come often. So does not Facebook’s founder Mark Zuckerberg.

But more so, Amos’s appearance has helped us understand that Singapore has never moved into the First World after all.

I feel sad for Amos, not because I think sadly of Amos. On the contrary, I feel happy for him, that he can be himself and am not be held back by our society’s prejudices.

But I feel sad that I could not do more for him. I can write an article, as I have several times. But that is all I can do when our society is not ready to stand up and speak up for him.

For many of us feel the injustice that he is going through, but many of us too stuck in our ways and too trapped in our fears are not yet ready to get up from our backsides to fight for him.

Some might argue, he should not have used vulgarities. He should not have scolded Lee Kuan Yew. He should not have spoke about Christianity. If he did not, I would have spoken up for him.

But it is beyond all these. Amos said something, yes, but he should not be persecuted for just speaking up. In fact, he wants unjust laws removed so that no other person would be hurt by it.

And Amos is a child. What happened to the kindness that we should show to a child, to help them grow to their fullest potential?

But this is up to you to think for yourself.

For me, I have found a new friend, someone who has touched my heart. He is like the brother I never had, and the son I would never have.

More importantly, he is a friend, a friend who has trusted me and a friend whom I have learnt from.

I miss him and I hope he is well inside.

Later today, at 4pm, I will attend the protest at Hong Lim Park and I will bring a banana along. I will do this for my friend.

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62 comments

If you care so much about him, why haven’t you raised the money in order to bail him out? If you were sincerely gathering the funds when the bail for Amos was still at $20k, plus your own funds when people donated to you over the CPF issue, you should have enough. Don’t give the excuse that you have criminal charges that prevent you from posting bail, you can give the funds to another trusted individual and get him to post the bail. But of course I doubt anyone will. Who would want to see another $30k, which is more than what some poor Singaporeans, the very people you claim to champion for, earn in a year, get flushed down the toilet?

The way you continue to write boohoo articles like this without actually helping the person you call a friend like these only further solidifies the suspicion that Amos is just a pawn to further your own agenda. As long as he’s locked up, it’ll give you ammunition to use. Some friend!

1. you want Roy raised money ? but PM has opened his lion mouth and already extort huge money from this jobless guy.
2. you want sincerely gathering the funds ? the first must eradicate Lee’s gangs.
3. you want CPF issue no article ? Temasek and GIC boss must not husband and wife in charge !
4. you always asking people’s agenda ? the simply let LEE step down , the only way of Singapore !

5. but the gangs agenda have more clear : wants to be promoted to be CEO something like that and got the second sky high class salary forever

6. in Singapore , if no case happened ,PM has nothing to do just collect money, easy gained monthly huge bonus . if something happened, he let his gangs to handle, nothing to do with him, from Roy’s case, we would discover that LKY have establish nothing for Singaporeans, no union protection system and compensation. from Amos’s case, would discover that law is LKY collect money channel , do you think you got 30K, LKY sin will not mention again ?

7. PM’s each of speech tells a lie, he said Singapore must be harmony, but he first broke the harmony to sue and extort huge money from the jobless guy. seems he is deaf and ear from CPF cases . he can be Singapore some single woman’s Icon, but far away of a Prime Minister, if he continue, many will be suffering again !

The monies raised for Roy’s defence can only be used for that purpose. Thats called accountability. And if proven, quite unlike the leaders in CHC who now stand accused of diverting monies from the building fund for purposes not originally stated.

ROY, you obviously keep going to court to seek publicity for yourself while riding on the growing notoriety and press coverage his case is generating. I find it incredibly laughable that Vincent Law has discharged himself as a bailor so fast. He claims it was because Amos refused to cooperate with his bail conditions but I believe he was too naive in the first place. Amos has his views and insists on his ‘rights’ to express them. Maybe Mr Law just wanted a platform to look Christian, to claim that he is ‘not offended’ and look all magnanimous.

I am a humanist. I do not believe in any religion. But I respect whatever others want to believe as long as they do not hurt others. Like any other Singaporean, Amos has no right to insult any religion. In fact, I believe that if he had chosen to insult Muslims, he may even have had bounties put on his head. Charlie Heddo, anyone? After those attacks happened in Paris, even the pope said words to the effect of ‘if you insult my mother, I will want to punch you’. His point was that there should not be blanket press freedom and freedom of speech which condones the hurting of others (yes, even through just words or comic drawing) under the excuse of ‘satire’. I am not saying that those Charlie Heddo victims deserve to be killed but we would all practise more tact and consideration of others. I would rather no charges be laid against Amos because I would rather not give him any ‘free publicity/notoriety’ to cash in on later. But he was on a one way track to disaster. Even if he wasn’t arrested this time, he would be for subsequent posts. I believe he is just a loose cannon who just likes being anti-establishment. I pity his parents the most. They look like typical conservative parents but they could be dealing with a recalcitrant child plus unscrupulous people who want the free publicity, from the nice lawyers who are doing ‘pro bono’ work and the anti-government ‘friends’ who turn up in court and profess support but never actually go and bail him out. Talk about fair weather friends!

Bu freedom of speech is a right has to be substantiated. That is why I believe that anyone has the right to sue if he feel slandered, libelled or defamed. When you right to speech infringes others’ rights then you should face the consequences. People should not be given the right to ‘talk shit’ about others just because they want to. Amos should face the consequences of his actions.

I have looked at Amos’s comments about his schooling life, his father and the government. He is a young man who basically utterly hates every single thing, person or system around him in Singapore. Everyone else is wrong. Singapore is such a horrid place. He thinks he knows everything. Youth is truly wasted on the young if they are all as screwed up as him.

Amos seems to think America is very good in the values and utterly fake accent he has chosen to adopt. My suggestion for him is to truly try life out there when he gets out of remand. Living through a computer (be it blogging or making videos) does not truly show you what life is like in these so-called developed countries like Europe and America. Please go and try things out there and see if it is really better for him. If it is, at least we will all know that the Singapore system and culture just doesn’t suit him. But if he also doesn’t get along well with his life elsewhere because of his own deep-seated hatred for everything and anything around him, we will know it is just him.

Congrats on a well-articulated piece.
I would like to share my observations on Amos with you from one of my blog posts. (shijai.blogspot.com)

Yee Yee Black Sheep, Why So Ruddy Cool? 余余黑羊，为何这么红又酷？

Opinion Piece on Amos Yee

Hu Gong Shuo 胡功硕

Amos is one smart cookie of a teen. He’s different and was born in the wrong country. So said his Mum.

In the mostly conformist, obeisant and regulated society of Singapore, you can’t blame this irregular peg for not fitting into our square mould. And he was reported to have deCatholicized himself and now professes to be an atheist. Articulate and even witty, he’s decided to discontinue his schooling as he can’t fit into the local system. A very provocative and interesting pronouncement on our vaunted PISA-certified local education system. It’s reported to top the latest OECD Survey. As on older person, I too have reservations and I’m enormously interested to hear his reasons.

At 16, Amos seems a consummate artiste in playing the media game to direct the spotlight on himself. He seems to come gleefully alive with the media and paparazzi hounding, er no, sounding and seeking him out. Showmanship is his natural instinct; it’s in his DNA. And he relishes being craved for and raved about for his Youtube video offerings and bloggings. After all he’s ‘starred’ in a role in a local movie, presciently entitled ‘I Not Naughty’ by Jack Neo? (Cff his iconic defence: ‘I did nothing wrong.’) And participated in music competitions where he exhibited uninhibitedly a supremely veteran confidence.

He’s young enough to know everything about what’s good for him and the country. At my advanced age, I’m insanely envious of his premature wisdom. I must confess to knowing more and more about less and less as I get older and older.

And he’s probably one of the youngest persons who publicly disagreed with our venerated judicial system whose conditions for bail gagged him by depriving him of his freedom of access and posting online. And he unequivocally chose the cell than compliance with the terms. (His original bail was raised from SD$20K to $30K after he violated the conditions; earlier he’s bailed out by a sympathetic counsellor when his parents refused to.)

Did he show courage or foolhardiness? Only idealistic youth has the privilege of smashing a cellphone against a wall and expects it to be still operational. And he declares what he expresses is born of honesty. I would like to give him the benefit of a doubt with this rather sophisticated defence. But his latest ‘act’ insinuating salacious scandal certainly undermines his claim to honest intentions.

In appearance, with his mop of floppy hair and slim nerdy figure and couldn’t-be-bothered sartorial sense, he’s threatening to be an anti-estab poster boy. Perhaps he will start a S’pore trend with his unfashionable daywear fashion statement. Then our teens will have the alternative not to just insanely ape K-pop stars.

And with an impeccable sense of timing and uncanny touch, he added a famously nonchalant, unsubtle smiling defiance in his pre-court entrance, chewing on a banana. A carefully choreographed cameo to milk the max ‘likes’ from his many fans who love his insouciance and individualism. So ruddy cool and cute, you can almost hear the cooing from the besotted fans. Everyone has gone bananas with that image except the controller-consumer. I’m sure this consummate actor will always have the last smile.

Indeed, he cuts a wananbe artistic figure who has inhabited the bedroom and his stale clothing a trifle too long. Along with his digital playground which his pro bono legal adviser has said he can’t do without, like water. What an anal piece of analogy. Surely its obvious fallacy doesn’t require an earthquake to bring it down. But the legal gag banning him to access and use social media platforms was controversial and prematurely punitive. His offence was not proven yet. And he’s still wet behind the ears.

This boy is indeed different. He seems very savvy in exploiting the media circus fighting to get a bite of him. I am concerned that some people may be using him as a proxy to fight their own wars with the establishment. And he’s such a succulent anti-estab morsel that he threatens to become a political gambit. He’s been glammed up as a test case for freedom of speech in a post-LKY Singapore by socio-political critics, people with an axe to grind, and dons of sociology and political science etc.

Soon he will be elevated into the pantheon of myths of a valiant youthful hero who dares to fight suppression, autocracy etc. The west loves such icons but they have many defiant teens who are even more virulent and obscene in the brandishing of graphics and language. Amos, like his Mum says, was born in the wrong country.

I am inclined to view his antics with amusement and some indulgence. It’s a braggadocio display by a clever publicity-lusting teen ventilating his uninformed personal views in cyberspace. He’s fully conscious that his postings could be offensive but nevertheless defends them as honest articulations. This defence certainly suggests he’s capable of critical self-evaluation which might not be rigorous enough; understandable at his age. His Mum had advised against the postings but he went ahead. Not that he feared too little about the consequences. But that he obviously cared too much for them. His Dad could only despair.

But I unequivocally disapprove of his stretching his liberty and right to individualism to the extent of using a fornication graphic with the superimposed heads of LKY and M Thatcher. According to him, he had learned from some TED programme, that exploiting vulgarities can be very effectively penetrating, in driving home your message. He’s not without witty ambiguities (eg ‘I don’t know whether to celebrate or mourn my release.’) and I believe he could express his views in a subtle and sophisticated manner without vulgarity.

But he desires nothing short of the fullest haul of eyeballs. Offended reactions are better compliments than no publicity. He glows and basks in it. He needs some cool counselling and a digital-less time to reflect. A court case creates excessive publicity which was what exactly this clever manipulative boy had engineered. The authorities out-excess him. No wonder he can’t stop smiling. Talk about making an Everest out of A-mos hill! The earthquake victims near Everest are more deserving of attention and compassion.

Was the Amos episode then a test case of our judicial system? Hardly. To me, it’s a simple case of a teen who needs counselling or guidance. Slap in the face in public? (He was actually slapped by a self-righteous middle-aged man near the Subordinate Courts,) No, just some private spanking by his Dad is prescribed; if he hadn’t done worse already. Engaging him in rigorous intellectual debate about his rights etc could possibly be better than to expend our judicial resources in creating an expedited case for him. Why play into his juvenile paws? Outwitted, the court has lost the mind game.

This episode is a test case of our evolving national psyche. Our ‘real normal’ of perceptions of controversial things will change with the developing intellectual, social or political contexts that will increasingly swirl and churn with a bewildering diversity of views. And with increasing digital velocity and volatility. In particular, we will do well to address our perpetual tendency to over-react to a few vocal voices who take offence at the slightest perceived slights.

Vociferous jaundiced views and prejudices will prevail and fail like the rise and ebb like a cyber wave that our common folks and people in power have to learn to deal with. And we shouldn’t be constantly at risk of being condemned to exist as arrested adolescents by the tyranny of a minority.

In Amos case. some Christians were offended and that’s perfectly normal in any developed or mature or evolving society. Some would never concede that LKY was a deserving of his adulation. And were horrified that a teen has unrepentanly and disrepectfully proclaimed that he was dead at last. As Singapore’s middle class grows more vocal, intellectual and discerning. Expecting acquiescence in everything is as desirable as the clones of the Brave New World. Singapore needs the challenges and crises to mature or be mired in debilitating smugness.

Some may rejoice at his audacity; not a few would be repulsed by it. But his case will help us to take stock and perhaps mature as a body civic and politic. Without resorting to vulgarities and banana gimmicks. We had been a Banana Republic before under the Japanese. And knew how unfunny and oppressive that was. One of the things that will help us grow up is a sense of humour. I have said it before in my write-up on LKY. I will reproduce it at this juncture. Please be reminded: I’m doing nothing wrong.

Extract from: Don’t Cry for Me Again, LKY! Part 4

Over-reaction and An Absence of a Sense of Humour

I wish of course LKY and the current government had learnt to relax a little, embrace or demonstrate a sense of humour and allow enlightened caricaturing or lampooning of the people in power. Certainly not the rampant, malicious and offensive ilk of the Charlie Hebdo satirists. Nevertheless, no one is too hallowed and infallible not to benefit from honest and edifying satire.

Personally, I believe that learning to discern non-malicious satire, caricature, burlesque, parody etc of oneself is very liberating. It compels you to pause and question the benighted aspects of your ego and insecurities, and become aware of any insidiously creeping paranoia that makes you over-sensitive and defensive.

And you can’t easily sue or stop overseas or locally underground satirists from lampooning you, even maliciously. But you should have enough faith that there are discerning and level-headed people who will recognize your just deserts.

LKY had no lack of brickbats from critics, dissidents, the intelligentsia, the disenfranchised and foes local and abroad. He was scoffed at or condemned for suppressing freedom of speech, dissent, committing controversial ISA arrests, regimentation, paternalistic patronage. imposing draconian laws like retaining capital punishment and annihilating his foes and opponents with law suits that bankrupted them, ridiculed for the much-maligned banning of chewing gum; gerrymandering and politicizing Town Councils etc. He was labelled an autocrat or totalitarian. The kindest was benevolent despot. I think he was sensitive to the criticisms and was hurt as he had always insisted on the right to rebut. Perhaps after a time, he became immune to them.

But wouldn’t it impart an indelible sense of magnanimity and humour to his character had he been more tolerant of healthy satirical barbs? He had a wry and proper sense of humour but wouldn’t it have developed into something even more disarming and adorably vulnerable about him? And his example could resonate with us and teach us not to over-react and take slights at every little jibe. As a legacy? We could do without that.

And no need to go to court over trivial things, lah. No publicity is sometimes better than juvenile publicity. And certainly not taking on and wasting state resources and time on a raw and ranting specimen just brought forth dripping-wet from the womb. Some spanking will do. There’s no local legislation a la Norway against that yet (end of extract).

Let me declare this categorically. Amos is not a black sheep in our society. He’s a precocious lamb who craves and bleats blatantly, unrestrainedly, for attention. He probably enjoys being brought to the slaughter altar. He knows he will survive glorified after being lightly roasted and ‘purified’. He ain’t Baa Baa, the black sheep that offers us 3 black wool. He offers us a reminder to ponder earnestly about issues on individual rights, tolerance etc in our evolving contexts.

Indeed, his case opportunely urges us to grow up with a mellow maturity that dares to laugh at ourselves and with others. And perceive things in perspective, not with sometimes ludicrous excess – over-sensitive-reactions. Like making a mockery of our over-zealous policing and judicial abilities.

But his fascinating defiance (you could dismiss it as youthful exuberance / excess) and credibility are severely dented in recent developments in which he falsely accused his ex-bailor of molestation and baiting the press to meet him at an MRT Station to deliver juicy bits of his latest concocted ‘scandal’, He failed to turn up.

If he persists in this path, then being ‘different’ is no more than stooping abysmally low to capture headlines and eyeballs. And even more disturbing, we may not be just witnessing only than juvenile defiance but an embryonic amorality that could wreck the lives of other humans. And in particular, one who’s shown compassion for him.

I hope he will evolve from this twilight stage of romancing the limelight as silkily as he has teased the public. But I’m afraid there will be more colourful episodes before he settles into our mollycoddling mould or leaves it altogether. He could provide further fodder for honing our maturing skills. Should we spare the rod but square the child?

Roy, on the eve of Amos’s verdict, I felt constrained to pass along my two cents’ worth. To say I am disappointed in your tendentious presentation of Amos’s situation would be an understatement. Your disingenuous treatment in advice and support for him is doing him a disservice.

In your piece, you have repeatedly used the words ‘child’ and ‘boy’ to invoke sympathy for his juvenile status. Yet in the same breath, you characterize him as being ‘wise beyond his years’, someone you look up to and lionize.

Now, you can’t have it both ways. Either he is mature and responsible in his conduct or he is acting puerile. At every turn, instead of calling him out for what it is — foolhardiness and recalcitrance — you pander to his whims and fancies. Don’t you suppose, you have added insult to his injury.

If you are the caring ‘big-brother’ you wish to be, then give it to him straight about common-sense dos and don’ts rather than just beat around the bush with your feel-good bromides. It behooves you in your new-found brotherly role if that’s what you purport, to at least not contribute to his becoming a bigger enfant gâté by needlessly coddling his faults.

Christians and profanity: What does the Bible say?
“What’s the big deal about profanity?” It’s a question I sometimes hear from young people who consider profanity a normal part of modern communication. Indeed, some Christian leaders in supposedly “cutting-edge” ministries use profanity in their presentations in an attempt to relate to the street language many unsaved people use.

What is profanity? The word profane literally means “outside the temple.” The term originally identified people or things that were secular as opposed to religious. The proliferation of profanity in American culture indicates secularization and an attack on Christian values. Media ratings of movies, music and videos continue to use language as a criterion, but standards of censorship on public airwaves are clearly eroding.

Profanity is used for shock value in expressing anger and humor. The words often are associated with sexuality and filth. Names of the Deity are used to bring additional potency and irreverence to the expressions. It is worth noting in our politically correct culture that the blasphemous use of the names of God and Jesus Christ are not regarded as “hate speech.”

The Bible recognizes the power of words. God spoke His creation into existence, and the gift of speech is one aspect of man’s creation in the image of God (Gen. 2:19-20). In the revelation of God’s law, words as well as actions are assigned moral values. Lying, blasphemy, taking the Lord’s name in vain, and cursing are examples of sinful speech forbidden in the Mosaic Law.

The New Testament also commands believers to be pure in speech by controlling their tongues: “With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things should not be this way” (James 3:9-10). Christians should honor the purpose of speech by using our mouths to praise God and leading others to obey the Lord through faith in Jesus Christ. Every word we speak should be “gracious” and “seasoned with salt” (Col. 4:6). We should always ask, “What would Jesus say?”

Christians are called upon to live differently and to act differently than the world of unbelievers. I do not need to speak profanity to win a cursing unbeliever anymore than I need to drink alcohol to win an alcoholic. The words of Scripture have all the potency and power we need to reach the heart of the lost.

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, LORD, my rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Ephesians 5:4 ESV / 28 helpful votes

Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.

James 1:26 ESV / 12 helpful votes

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.

Galatians 5:19-21 ESV / 12 helpful votes

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

they hav killed millions with their holy words…all recorded in history…and even today…..made millions into smarty asses brain dead worshippers….have “sexua liaisons” or immoral collaborations with the powers…literally raped boys in their holy buildings or compound…if that’s not vulgar…Amos words are?

“Some chide Amos for mocking Lee Kuan Yew but they also choose to ignore what he had to say.”

The nation were more concern about a clean front than a clean heart. They reckon that since his words were “unclean”, his honesty should also be “unclean” and should be dismissed or ignored. Actually, they don’t want to be confronted by his searing honesty. It is easier to damn someone if he is human.

You missed the first chance because you were going to Malaysia. What stopping you now. He is your good friend. Amos will not do anything to make you lost your deposit. Don’t waste your second chance. Be credible and true to your what you stand for. Show all the unfortunate Singaporeans that you really are “A friend in need. Not one that just say say.
I am not Amos’s friend so I won’t be bailing him.

If you white washed his words, he will be another useless LTK or CSJ or LSS or your school principal or your money sucking lawyer or your army commander or your priest or your psychiatrist or your pet pigs and lizards……what do you think?

Glad that you found a friend in Amos and he in you. Indeed Amos is an intelligent individual but he has channelled his enthusiasm wrongly – for the society he is living in. He has yet to mature as of the present, there is still too much “self” in him. Through his article of his father’s abuse on him, I can understand his father’s frustration. I find it difficult myself to allow my son to go to court in PJ’s. Although not knowing how to control his anger, his father is still there in court with him and with Amos in the many pictures taken by the media. Amos chose to disrgard the bail conditions, did he consider his bailor? Maybe he had his blessings that I am not privy to.

You may be the best person to instill in him that freedom comes with responsibility and regard for others. I am also very glad that in this article you have come across very much as a friend and have not used his case for political agenda – it’s ok to sneek in a line or two here and there 🙂 Cheers

“You can’t legislate tolerance, accommodation, and understanding that is sustainable because people comply for fear of being punished … The soft-law approach is better able to mould behavioural norms and right-size attitudes,” Assoc Prof Tan said.

He said that the Declaration on Religious Harmony launched in June 2003 is one example and explained how the declaration was jointly developed by religious leaders to come out with a “code of conduct”.

Still, Mr Tan believed that there needs to be some PUNITIVE LAWS.

……. A more effective approach would be to air these ideas, and to discuss them in ways that would allow the conversation to be advanced and to allow for more understanding of one another, so that our society can progress. HA HHHAHAHAHAHA

Mr Lee made these deluded comments at the at the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) May Day Rally today.

“Our unions are equal partners with employers and the Government,” Mr Lee said.

———————– Lee is relying a silver tongue to win ! yes, unions are equal partners with employers and the Government and just follow your personal taste to lay off worker, such as Roy. you make the unions become the one part of your family nanny. if unions never help workers ! you said such dishonest word for shame only !

“No trade union congress anywhere else in the world has been as effective as NTUC in improving workers’ lives,” Mr Lee also said.

He said that he wanted this “precious legacy” of tripartite to be protected.

——————— you protect who ? if you only protected just in your office coterie , pls just speech within your coterie area.
don’t come to the public and said NTUC such a small supermarket, how come union become a supermarket ? what about the compensation to those you wanted them lost job ? such as Roy and HHH ?

you said the sweet word in first year of your ruling , nobody knows this is a trick . until the 10th years, look at what were you doing everyday ? just enjoy single woman on facebook to please you . no good things you did for your people and this nation.
you were commepletly not at work at the Prime Minister’s status, sightseeing, taking pictures, show off , this is not kind of work.

you just used money to buy yourself and your wife many of rewards only . nothing else. before you use these money, have you get the the permit from the parliament ? how much money you can use ? How much larger amount you have to report to the parliament ? you have no respect to the parliament ‘s power . you encourage your office worker become a gangs and full time working in Roy’s blog to threat the people . expanding the gangs team to use aggressive violent action against the people who dislike LKY.

if you want to continue ? let Vice Prime Minister to take over for remain PAP. otherwise, let WP to take over .
anyone as long as do it better than you, all welcome !

“I’m utterly disgusted by those a**eholes, journalists or whoever they may be filming or taking pictures of Amos. None of them as I saw in the video took an effort to go after the assailant with their equipment to at least capture him on tape to be identified.

These bastards and bitches witnessed a 16 year old kid being assaulted physically yet prioritized their selfish goals and idiotically did nothing as a human being to come to a kid’s aid.

I say to you bunch, you people are a whole lot of low life scums. Shame on you, you’re a disgrace to society and your family. Totally sickening, look yourselves in the mirror and ask where is your humanity you a**eholes.”

I am writing this blog in a state of shock and horror after seeing the video of Amos Yee being physically assaulted and then taunted outside the Court.

Our Police force has failed to protect Amos and seem to have ignored or not taken seriously the numerous online threats of violence and sexual violence against him, a child. As a result someone has taken the law into their own hands.

It is not enough for the Law Minister, Shanmugam, to say at this late stage that the vigilante violence is unacceptable and to say that it should be left to the courts to deal with Amos. The central problem is that this teenager should never have been charged. The thug said after he punched Amos, “Sue me, sue me” which shows that his attack was motivated by Amos’s comments about Lee Kuan Yew rather than by so called offence to Christians.

For this reason if not any other, the Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, now needs to step out of the shadows and make a clear cut statement. The PM needs to state his own views and the official line of his party, the PAP, with regard to attacks both digital and actual on children and other dissenting voices.

Not only would this be the only acceptable response from a man who is capable of such acts as penning an insensitive, callous and deeply offensive letter of condolence to me on the death of my father but also because he bears direct responsibility for the assault on Amos. So far he has done nothing to cool the flames and to discourage an atmosphere of collusion with threats of violence. This repeated failure to condemn the culture of threats of violence suggests that he has even surreptitiously added the threat of physical reprisals as a new weapon in his armoury of fear.

Because of the PM’s refusal to speak up I have decided to share with you a letter that my lawyers sent to the Prime Minister last year so you can see that the Prime Minister’s failure to condemn the culture of violence against dissenters is not a random act. I have pasted here a copy of the actual letter sent to Lee Hsien Loong in his capacity as Secretary General of the PAP:

We act for Kenneth Jeyaretnam, Secretary General of the Reform Party, his wife, and his son , together “the Jeyaretnams”.

As you aware, from the run up to the Punggol East by –election in 2013 to most recently on Good Friday this year, 18 April 2014, the Jeyaretnams have been the target of harassment and criminal intimidation aimed at forcing Mr Jeyaretnam to step down from the by election in the first place, then later to leave Singapore altogether, “stop meddling in its economic affairs”, and to “quit politics”.

The threats of violence have included threats of rape, death, castration, and mutilation to himself, his wife and son. The Jeyaretnams have been the victims of threats public and private by email, Twitter, Private Message on Facebook, and public comments on the news websites of global media corporations.

You will also be aware that on the 17 January 2013 Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam mentioned to the Press that his son and wife had received what were tantamount to death threats and that his son was upset. At that point several foreign and state-owned/controlled media organisations, colluded to present these threats as fabrications or embellishments and to invade Mr Jeyaretnam Junior’s right to privacy. Mr Jeyaretnam Junior, a minor, was also the victim of a nasty campaign of harassment and racist abuse and intimidation by an internet body known as SMRT Feedback.

One man was subsequently arrested for the threat of rape of Mrs Jeyaretnam and son and a different man for the threats of harm to and harassment of Mr Jeyaretnam and they have been dealt with by the police in Singapore.

The intimidation and media campaign is clearly politically motivated yet we can find no statements from any of the political parties in Singapore either distancing themselves or in fact deploring the acts of abuse, harassment and intimidation.

We would ask you now to state what your party’s official response is to the political intimidation of Mr Jeyaretnam and his family members and the media campaign to portray his behaviour in a wholly negative and false way. Would you now condemn these acts in the strongest terms?

It has been noted that Minister Tan Chuan-Jin stated on Facebook on 21 February 2014 that “It is wrong and these acts should not be condoned. Kenneth and his family should not be subjected to this.” Nevertheless would you please clarify whether this is your party’s official view and what in fact you have done to discourage such intimidation and the culture of mockery and trivialising the death threats in the state-owned media? In light of the fact that the Elections Department is part of the Prime Minister’s Office, would you let us know what steps have been taken to ensure that intimidation of political candidates and their family members does not become an acceptable part of the political process and election campaigning in Singapore?

We are also puzzled by the failure of SMRT Corporation, which is majority owned by Temasek Holdings, to take any action against a group (SMRT Feedback), which is clearly passing off as connected to SMRT and uses a deceptively similar logo – but posts clearly defamatory material. Will you confirm your Party’s view on this group?

Yours faithfully

Puxon Murray LLP

My lawyers waited for a while for the PM and the PAP to respond and resent the letter but still no response was received. The absence of a response can only lead to one conclusion: that Lee Hsien Loong and the PAP find attacks against children and the families of their opponents acceptable.

The reason I called the violence against Amos Yee state-sponsored on my Facebook page yesterday was because of the way the State media (and Yahoo news) colluded with the abusers implying that it was acceptable to make my family targets.

In the same way the State media have ignored the fact that Amos is a child and have published his picture without restraint. He is clearly in considerable emotional distress and has alleged abuse from his father over several years. He chose to turn up for his court appearance in pyjamas, the only clothes he fels comfortable in. Despite this he has been handcuffed and remanded in custody with adult prisoners even though he is not accused of a violent crime and poses no physical threat. He clearly needs to be in a safe, protective and loving environment instead.

Not only has the PM failed to step up and deplore his treatment but as yet we have heard no appeals for leniency from the Christian establishment. Apparently he is considered such a threat to the PAP and the Lee family that the state is determined to silence him. The judge has banned him from blogging or posting online even if this means that he has to remand the teenager Amos in custody until his trial.

This assault on Amos Yee only differs from the murder of the Charlie Hebdo satirists in Paris, shot for criticising Islam and the atheist blogger in Bangladesh hacked to death by machete in teh degree of violence and the choice of weapon. In Singapore it is just more difficult to get hold of guns and knives otherwise Amos might be dead by now. The man who slapped him could easily have stabbed him with a knife. None of the journalists or bystanders made any effort to detain or follow him afterwards.

The clock is ticking down. Unless Lee Hsien Loong comes out to condemn this assault we can conclude that he considers it acceptable to use fear as a way of maintaining his party’s grip on power. This is no different from the way the PAP use fear by threatening to withhold national resources from non PAP voters or the threat of detention without trial or bankruptcy or jail through defamation suits or trumped-up charges.

I believe Singaporeans have had enough of living in the shadow of fear of retribution from the PAP regime and its minions. it is time to demand a fairer and more compassionate society. In short we need justice.

I repeat my pledge to help Amos Yee sue his assailant for damages for this cowardly assault

“Not only has the PM failed to step up and deplore his treatment but as yet we have heard no appeals for leniency from the Christian establishment. Apparently he is considered such a threat to the PAP and the Lee family that the state is determined to silence him. The judge has banned him from blogging or posting online even if this means that he has to remand the teenager Amos in custody until his trial.”

None of the Christian leaders will stand up for Amos for fear of reprisals or there is no reason to support one who condemns their idiocy – so much for Agape love. At most, they ll come up with fork tongue speeches and affirm the govt’s position to “slit the throats” of secular rationale like Amos

PM Lee, you cannot stand up to sound statistics from a young man in his 20s, when he confronted you in your shady ways.

Thus now you target a 16 year-old boy, and even get one of your PAP followers to beat him up outside your infamous Kangaroo Courts.

How low can you stoop? Since your heart and mind are impermeable to reason and beyond the reach of civil justice (you controlled the Kangaroo Courts), the only way for God to speak to you is divine retribution. Your firstborn–an albino. Your murdered first wife–Mdm Ming Yang. Your lymphoma. Your LKY father. Your testicles. Your PAP. The ways YOUR OWN CHILDREN are thinking of you in their own hearts now.

PAP IB, pls forward to this message to the Pinky who’s cowering behind media, SPF, Kangaroo Courts, and other Stat Boards who have to let LHL cower under their skirts to protect him from time to time

If you really wish to help Amos, perhaps you can bail him out like you say you would in your facebook. You really do not need to raise any amount as it is “non-cash terms” bail. We donate for your clause, thinking that you would question PM Lee directly in court, but you have let us down.

PM Lee, you cannot stand up to sound statistics from a young man in his 20s, when he confronted you in your shady ways.

Thus now you target a 16 year-old boy, and even get one of your PAP followers to beat him up outside your infamous Kangaroo Courts.

How low can you stoop? Since your heart and mind are impermeable to reason and beyond the reach of civil justice (you controlled the Kangaroo Courts), the only way for God to speak to you is divine retribution. Your firstborn–an albino. Your murdered first wife–Mdm Ming Yang. Your lymphoma. Your LKY father. Your testicles. Your PAP. The ways YOUR OWN CHILDREN are thinking of you in their own hearts now.

PAP IB, pls forward to this message to the Pinky who’s cowering behind media, SPF, Kangaroo Courts, and other Stat Boards who have to let LHL cower under their skirts to protect him from time to time

This article of income inequality, government not spending enough despite being richest in the world, biggest income gap, aiya we’ve all read it before…this time round Roy just pretends to quote Amos lah…

Using Amos to further his own political reasons because with Amos around there’s something to talk about, constantly using his own Roy name people get sick of him lah…

Wolf in sheep skin lah Roy…if Amos is jailed 10 times you have 10 times the reasons to write more otherwise it’s always the same old boring stuff from you since what 2012 or earlier

You’re getting stale Roy. And you’re getting alarmed because after a year you’re no better than when you started in fact you’re regressing. Amos being jailed is the best thing that you can hope for because you don’t want to be jailed yourself. What’s the point what can it serve?

So you put the burden on another.

You’re such a hypocrite Roy it’s amazing you’re still standing today because normal humans would have died of shame by now

He had said, “Most people in Singapore are struggling to make ends meet. And it is reported that Singaporeans work the longest hours in the world. We are one of the richest countries in the world, but we have one of the highest income inequalities, highest poverty rates, and our government spends one of the lowest on healthcare and social security.”

“The money spent on the public is so low, it’s more representative of a third world country. And yet the amount of taxes is one of the highest in first world countries. And political leaders in Singapore earn more than quadruple the amount earned by political leaders in the United States. They are acquiring so much money — why aren’t they spending it on the people? What are they actually spending it on?”
—
I find the analytical skills of Amos and yourself lacking just by posting and re-posting the above quotes. May I know which sources of information did you base on to make those inferences? I think both of you are just good in literary skills but lack logical sense.
1. May I know in which country that “most people are not making ends meet”. And by the way, how do you define “making ends meet”?
2. Ye, Singaporeans work one of the longest hours.How long and how far is it from the second, first, or whoever the other countries are in the “one of the longest hours” list?
3. “one of the highest income inequalities, highest poverty rates, and our government spends one of the lowest on healthcare and social security.” Very vague. The “one of the xxx” is a very poor way to promote your case. How much are the highs and lows here, and compared to the others?
4. “The money spent on the public is so low, it’s more representative of a third world countTy”. I’m curious how much is spent on the public, and please enlighten me how much on average third world country spends, either in raw or percentage values.

Many people told me that Amos is a smart boy blah blah blah, yet when I see all these statements he made, he probably couldn’t make them by analyzing the content he came across by himself but ASSUMED them to be true. And yet, you are reposting it and supporting these assumed statements also show your poor analytical skills (you are much older than him and it is expected you have better skills as brain develops over the years).

Lastly, I’m not sure why you quote “chee soon Juan” but not “Chiam see tong”. I think your role model should be the latter and not the former. Check out the history of this guy and whether he was suing people and got sued. You may be surprised he won a case by suing a minister early in his political career.

All this talk about 1st world country and 3rd world values, goes to show how people responded. It’s quite evident, no? True, sad but true. Reading these post, I see many Jesus or holy people, because of what they write, they seem to have never talked bad or gossip about someone else. Not bad for a small country like this to have some many holy people. Please read up on Christianity, the Vatican and everything done under the name of God. And question your faith. If you don’t then it just blind faith, blind following the blind.

Roy, on the eve of Amos’s verdict, I felt constrained to pass along my two cents’ worth. To say I am disappointed in your tendentious presentation of Amos’s situation would be an understatement. Your disingenuous treatment in advice and support for him is doing him a disservice.

In your piece, you have repeatedly used the words ‘child’ and ‘boy’ to invoke sympathy for his juvenile status. Yet in the same breath, you characterize him as being ‘wise beyond his years’, someone you look up and lionize.

Now, you can’t have it both ways. Either he is mature and responsible in his conduct or he is acting puerile. At every turn, instead of calling him out for what it is — recalcitrance and foolhardiness — you pander to his whims and fancies. Don’t you suppose, you have added insult to his injury.

If you are the caring ‘big-brother’ you wish to be, then give it to him straight about common-sense dos and don’ts rather than just beat around the bush with your feel-good bromides. It behooves you in your new-found brotherly role if that’s what you purport, to at least not contribute to his becoming a bigger enfant gâté by needlessly coddling his faults.

Amos say put kkj in the kck is ok means he is mature ah….this Amos yee dun want to study , dun want to work a regular job , wants to make a career making YouTube videos…like that is mature ah….
Freeloader Amos yee seeggeena gui want to make political statement ok …go ahead but he insult Jesus for what? Becos all or most Christians support pap ? Please la. Not all Christians are pappies ok?now facing rtc ……what did he really achieve….???????… Peepur will start voting for the opposition is it? Quite the opposite ok! Fence sitters will be put off by Amos ‘s crude speech and lying about Vincent law. Rtc is no joke 18 months minimum.
Just becos Amos is eloquent beyond his years does not mean he is mature.